Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUliD OF T~ INVENTION
The invention concerns a fashion felt, i.e. a product
which substantially consists of fibres and which may be ~iven
any desired shape. This product is suitable for 2 ~reat
variety of uses, such as upholstery and interior equipment in
cars, furniture, etc.
SUrlMARY OF T~L~ V~TION
The characteristic feature of the invention is that
the felt comprises two outer layers at least one of which
essentially consists of melt fibres, said layer bein~r separated
by an intermediate layer of synthetic fibres, preferably synthe-
tic fibre waste, with which intermediate laycr the outer layers
are interconnected by needling, and a layer Or surface batt
whicr~ is secured to one of the outer layers by means of need-
lin~r. The felt is ~given the desired shape in heat and com-
pression treatments and the desired outlines through cutting,
preferabl~y stamping.
~ In accordance with the invention, one of the outer
layers, viz. the one supporting the surface batt~ consists
of conveniently texturized melt fibres, nreferabl~J polypropene
fibres. The opposite outer layer may also consist of ~oly-
~ropene fib.es or of a film. In addltion, this layer may
be made ~rater-impermeable in a heat treatment.
The invention l;'~ewise concerns a method of manu-
facturin~, fashion felts in accordance with the invention.
This method is characterised by the steps of appl~in~ a layer
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Or synthetic fibres onto a continuously advancin~ web of melt
fibres, preferably synthetic fibre waste, applyin an outer
layer on top of the last-mentioned layer, interconnectin,~r
said three laye~s by means Or neealing, turninr, the web thus
produced by passin@ it round rollers~ a?plying a surface batt
on this web, which batt is secured thereto by ~leans of need-
ling, ~Jinding the web-like product thus produced onto a supply
roll, withdrawing said web-shaped product from this roll and
feeding it into an oven to heat the melt fibre layers, and
then imparting to the heated web the desired shape and struc-
ture in a pressing tool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TI~E D~AWIN~S
The invention will be descri.bed in more detail in
the following with reference to the accompanying drawin~,s,
wherein
Fi~,. 1 illustrates an installation for manufacturing
a web forming the "basic fashion felt",
Fi~. 2 illustrates a device designed for carryin~
out the final treatment Or the fashion felt~
Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view through
the device shown in Fig. 2,
Fig. 4 illustrates a finished product-in accordance
with the invention~ and
FiEr. 5 is a sectional view throu~h line V-V of ~ig. 4.
DETAILED DESCR _TION OF A _R~FERR~D EMBODI~`1LNT
The apparatus shown in Fi~. 1 for the manufacture of
a fashion felt in accordance with the invention comprises a
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supply roll 1 holding a fibre web 2 ~hich is fed onto a
cor.tinuous conveyor belt 3. When the synthetic fibre web 2
has been deposited on the conveyor belt 3, which belt ?re-
ferably is driven at a constant speed about the rollers 4 and
5, a layer 6 of filler fibres, preferably consisting of syn-
thetic fibre waste, is deposite~ on the fibre web 2. The
synthetic fibre waste is fed throu~h a conduit 7 from an
apparatus 8 designed to break up textile waste into fibres.
On top of the layer 6 is applied a further outer layer 9 which
is withdrawn from a roll 10, such that between them the outer
layers 2 and 9 enclose the filler layer 6. The web thus ob-
tained is fed throu~h a needlin~ apparatus 11 w}lerein tne
three layers 2, 6, and 9 are joined to~,ether. The web 12 thus
joined together then travels over a conducting roller 13 and
the web now has the appearance illustrated in the circle A
which shows that in the needling apparatus 11 fibres 14 from
the layer 9 have been pushed throu~h the middle layer 6 down
(up in circle A) into the other outer layer 2 and are anchored
therein by their ends. The web 12 furtner travels over guide
and link rolls, finally to be coated with a surface batt 15
which is withdrawn from a supply roll 16. The surface batt
15 is needled to the web 12 in a needling apparatus 17 and
following its passage through the needling apparatus 17, the
web has the appearance illustrated on a heavily enlar~ed scale
in circle ~. It should be noted that the end tufts 18 formed
by the fibres 14, to a very -lar~e extcnt contribute to the
positive securement of the surface batt 15, as during the
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needling of the surface batt 15 fibres from the batt are
needled into the end tufts and thus are anchored thereto.
The felt web 19 thus produced is wound onto a supply roll 20
~ r
from which the desired components may be produced at a
later stage.
Fig. 2 illustrates a device designed to produce the
desired components from the felt web 19 in the process Or
compression and cutting operations. For this purpose, the
uevice consists of a first section 21, which could be de-
nominated oven and into which web material 19 is fed and
heated to the softening temperatureof the synthetic fibres.
At the exit Or the oven 21 is disposed an infra-red heating
element 22 which, if desired, illuminates the web from below
to such a degree that the fibres melt together and form a
water-impermeable layer on the product. Followin~ the oven
21 is positioned a pressing tool 23 com~risin~ two sections~
viz. a lower, stationary section and an upper section which
is arranged to be displaced upwards and downwards.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view throu~h a preferred embodi-
ment of the pressin~ tool 23. The pressin~ tool comprises
- as mentioned above - a lower stationary section 24 and
an upper, vertically displacelble section 25. When a su~rici-
ent length of web material 19 has been inserted between the
sections 24, 25, during which inse.tion the upper section
assumes ibs upper position, section 25 is lowered and the
web 19 is compressed between the tool sections and takes on
the desired shape. At its peri~hery, section 25 is provided
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with cutting members 26 designed to stam~ out the outlines Or
the desired work piece, whereby in the pressing tool is ob-
tained not only the desired shape as a result of the compress-
ion, but also the desired cutting Or the work piece.
Fi~. 4 illustrates one contemplated example Or an
article ~anufactured from the fashion felt in accordance with
the invention. This article may be part of t-ne interior up-
holstery and equipment of a car. Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional
view through this article an~ illustrates the m~nner in which
!. 10 the surface batt 15 is pulled down over the edges all around
the article during the stamping-out Or the article from the
heated fashion felt by means of a pressin~ tool, whereby
in addition to other advantages is gained also the one that
the edges will be aesthetically attractive in appearance as
they become entirely covered by the surface layer 15.
One advantage Or particular importance in the case
Or car interior equipment is that in contrast to materials
used earlier, such as e.g. hard wood ribreboard slabs, the
various equipment components may be shaped in a simple mànner
to fit their individual usage and be designed to suit the
surroundings in a very convenient manner. Compared with the
shapin~ Or hard fibreboard slabs used hitherto. the productivi-
ty may be increased considerably, and by choosing a suitable
kind of synthetic fibre it is possible without difriculty to
reduce fire hazards inside the vehicle. ~urthermore, through
the choice Or synthetic fibre, the generation of poisonous
gases in the case Or a fire is prevented. These advantages
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naturally are obtained also when the product is use~ in furni-
ture. A suitable choice of material for this purpose is
polypropene. A surface texture tilat fits the desired appea-
rance is easily obtained in that a fibre layer is applied in
the form of a surface batt, which possesses the desired
characteristics. Whatever the nature of the fibres, it is
always easy to needle the fibres to the support so as to ob-
tain a satisfactory adhesion (bond) bet~leen the layers.
By shaping the sections of the pressing tool 23 in
conformity with the desired end product, different areas of
the articles manufactured may be compressed to a larger or
lesser extent, whereby varying hardness or in other words
varying softness of the object is obtained, ranging from
solid plastics suitable to serve as mountin~s for screws and
the like, to a soft structure having considerable noise-reduc-
in~ properties. Owing to the middle layer comprisinr a
filler batt, the surface layers 2, 9 are keot so far apart
that followin~ the heat treatment Or the surface layers the
5t~ff~css
A product possesses satisfactory Gi fnos3 and may be used for
self-supporting structures.
~nally should be nointed out that the material does
not either give off any gaseous ~roducts that may deposit on
the car windshields~ so-called fogging, which could reduce
th~ visibility.
2r~ By. the expression "melt f;bre" as used herein is to
be understood synthetic fibres which become soft and somewhat
tacky at a temperature Or 50 -~o C, i.e. at a temperature
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which exceeds the temperature at which the product is in-
tended to be used.
'rhe invention is not limited to the embodiments ~s
described and illustrated but a variety of modifications
are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
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